Forensic Services provide community based behavioral health services for individuals currently, or formerly, involved with the criminal justice system to promote recovery, resiliency, and the principles of self-direction, individualized and person-centered empowerment and hope. These services are offered at various points along the Sequential Intercept Model, in a number of different settings, all under the umbrella of the Forensic Services Department.
Forensic Services staff engage consumers in behavioral health services to obtain treatment, support, skills, and opportunities for recovery, as well as support in navigating the criminal justice system to reduce the risk of recidivism. Assistance is offered for incarcerated individuals with ‘Serious Mental Illness’ to develop appropriate home and treatment service plans for reentry to, and continued stability in, the community.
Case Management in the Forensic Department
Forensic Case Management: Our Forensic Case Management staff provide community based behavioral health services for individuals currently, or formerly, involved with the criminal justice system. Forensic Behavioral Health Case Managers assist incarcerated individuals with developing appropriate home and treatment service plans for reentry to, and continued stability in, the community. Forensic Case managers work with referred consumers who are being released from State or Federal Correctional Institutions, those who are on Parole or living in State Halfway Houses, or those currently incarcerated at Lackawanna County Jail.
Co-Occurring Case Management: Our Co-Occurring Case Managers provide case management services to support the Lackawanna County Treatment Court. They participate on collaborative, cross-systems teams, under the direction of a presiding Judge, to provide community-based services promoting recovery, resiliency, and the principles of self-direction, individualized and person-centered planning, empowerment, hope, and the belief individuals can recover. They attend Treatment Court weekly in support of the consumer and to provide updated treatment compliance information, as well as serve as an advocate/liaison for the consumer in navigating the requirements of the criminal justice system.
Mental Health Court Case Management: The Forensic Department Mental Health Court Case Manager engages with consumers who are involved with the Lackawanna County Mental Health Specialty Court. They attend treatment team meetings to provide updated information with regard to the consumer’s treatment services and collaboratively plan for further goals and/or services needed. They attend Mental Health Court weekly in support of the consumer and to provide updated treatment compliance information, as well as serve as an advocate/liaison for the consumer in navigating the requirements of the criminal justice system. All Forensic Department Case Managers actively and assertively identify, engage, and support consumers in obtaining the services, supports, skills, and opportunities for recovery and reducing the risk of recidivism.
Forensic Outpatient Services
Individual therapy: The forensic services department can provide specialized forensic outpatient therapy for individuals on parole or probation whose mental health diagnoses were a factor in their legal involvement. Also, individual therapy for juveniles on probation who were adjudicated on sexual offenses, or who display problematic sexual behaviors during their time on probation, is offered on a case-by-case basis.
Mental Health Evaluations for State Parole and Juvenile Probations: The forensic services department helps to schedule and facilitate mental health assessments for individuals who are court ordered, or parole board ordered, to obtain a mental health assessment as a part of their supervision. We communicate with probation and parole to ensure completion of the required conditions and any recommendations that arise from the assessment.
Group therapy: Break the Cycle: Anger Management Group is a 10-week in person CBT focused therapy group for those who are court ordered, or those whose anger and aggressive behaviors lead to increased risk for legal involvement. This group is for both adult male and female consumers without significant SMI that would alter their ability to participate in the group setting with the material presented. An evaluation will take place prior to enrollment in the group.
Thinking Straight: A CBT Group to Reframe Criminal Thinking is for individuals involved with probation or parole whose cognitive distortions have led to repeated interface with the justice system and continued charges/violations. The group is a 10-week, CBT group, focused on reframing cognitive distortions in attempt to reduce recidivism in the parole and probation population.
Specialized Forensic Assessments: On a case-by-case basis, the Forensic Services Department can accommodate specialized forensic assessments as requested by probation, parole, or the court system. Examples include psychosexual evaluations for juveniles displaying problematic sexual behaviors, parental risk assessments, psychological assessments for Susquehanna County Jail, or other specialized assessments. Please reach out to the department director for inquires. Other general psychological evaluations can be referred internally to our psychologist on staff.
Intercept Model: Early Diversion- IMED
IMED services are an integrated with the Lackawanna County Pretrial Services Program. IMED services work collaboratively with the Criminal Justice System for the early identification of individuals with behavioral health needs to provide assessment of, and engagement with, appropriate/necessary intervention and treatment services. The goals of IMED include increasing diversion from incarceration, increasing engagement and participation in community-based treatment services, decreasing the use of crisis/emergency services, decreasing the need for inpatient services, decreasing the risk of recidivism, and supporting resiliency, recovery, and stability in the community. Individuals involved with Pre-Trial services complete a mental health screening, further assessment and psychiatric evaluation if deemed necessary, as well as involvement with case management or certified recovery services if needed. Our IMED team consists of an IMED Mental Health Clinician, an IMED Case Manager, and a Certified Recovery Specialist.
CLIP (Court Liaison Intervention Program)
The Forensic Services Department at SCC is a part of the Lackawanna County Court Liaison Intervention Program (CLIP) which provides services to the Lackawanna County S.T.A.R.S. (Students That Attend Regularly Succeed) Truancy Program. This program includes attendance and participation in all Lackawanna County magisterial level, contempt level, and review court hearings for truancy, reporting on the status or engagement of individuals in mental health services at hearings and to the OYFS office as requested, providing mental health recommendations or service referrals as requested by the magistrate or judge involved in the hearing, initiation of intakes or psychiatric evaluations to be completed by Scranton Counseling Center psychiatrists, and arrangement for admission for youth in need of mental health services to specific clinical programs operated by Scranton Counseling Center.